The Rising: Part 1
by ali09
Summary: LAST CHAPTER of this part. “Firstly, it’s Chloe. Chloe Anderson,” she leaned over the table to talk more privately. “I work for an organization called the Dominion.” “You know that mutant sanctuary you want to create?” “We will never be free.”
1. Chapter 1

_Hey guys!! This is a story I wrote as a project, you might recognize the beginning as similar to Brokedown Angel because I liked it, and then decided I wanted to publish this one. This is obviously pre-Mutant X but this is gonna be a long one, so we'll definitely get there. Ali_   
_Chapter One_

Her feet pounded against the ground as she ran. As her tears mixed with the rain splashing on her face, she only had one thought in mind. "Don't give up, don't look back." The beat of her feet on the sidewalk decreased rapidly; her drenched clothes and near starvation finally taking their toll. Turning into an alley, she fell hard, slipping on the pavement, and then the world was black.

"Three people," was her first thought when she regained consciousness. Listening with her acute ears, she could almost see them. Growling deeply, she opened her eyes and glared at her captors through orange cat-like eyes.

"Feline feral, Michael," a male voice came from her right.

"Great," commented a middle-aged man with a certain air of command, walking over to the gurney. "We're not going to hurt you. What's your name?"

She glanced at him suspiciously before letting her feral eyes fade, revealing bright blue ones. "Chloe Anderson."

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

The man nodded and turned back to a large computer screen. Chloe frowned, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"And you are?" she asked expectantly.

The man looked at her with his brown eyes, brows raised. He had not expected the young feral to open up so quickly. "Michael Carlson. That's Darren Carter." Michael pointed to the dark-haired young man on Chloe's right.

"And the girl behind me?" Chloe smirked at him, flaunting her hyperactive senses.

"Angie Valentine," the blonde answered, walking around to face Chloe.

"Where am I?" Chloe groaned as pain shot through her side as she shifted in her bed.

"Safe Haven," Darren smiled at her, his deep green eyes peering at hers. "Congrats, you escaped."

Chloe relaxed a bit, and allowed herself to drift off into a deep sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Chloe awoke suddenly, drenched in a cold sweat. Looking around, she frantically tried to recall where she was. 'The Safe Haven,' she remembered. They had saved her life. She brushed back her damp golden-red hair from her eyes, and reached for her crutches. Chloe swung her legs over the side of the gurney and rotated her ankles a bit before standing. She crept out of the medical lab to look for the kitchen, her stomach reminding her that she hadn't eaten for days. She quickly found it, and was opening the fridge when she heard someone approaching her. Chloe's eyes flashed orange, and a low growl exploded from her vocal chords. She threw her crutches to the side, not caring about the pain. Chloe had been hurt too many times to give up because of an injury. With the agility of a cat, she soon had her stalker pinned to the floor.

"Ouch," Darren groaned.

"Sorry," Chloe helped him up, grinning slightly. "Why are you up so late?"

"You are too," Darren pointed out, looking at her with accusing eyes as he rubbed his back.

"Only because you didn't feed me," she shot back, limping over to retrieve her crutches.

Darren shrugged, "Couldn't sleep."

Chloe pulled out a container of leftovers from the refrigerator and sat down on a barstool. "Are you a mutant too?"

Darren's hand suddenly ignited in a burst of flame. Chloe shrank back, her eyes wide with fear.

"Sorry," he grimaced apologetically. "I forgot ferals were afraid of fire."

"A fire elemental, huh?" Chloe commented, her heart still racing. "Must be useful."

Darren nodded and sat down next to her.

"Aren't you going to ask me?"

"Ask what?" Darren said innocently.

"Who I am? Who I was running from? Why?" Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"I didn't want to be nosy, but now that you mention it," Darren leaned forward with interest.

"Well, you know about Genomex- they splice DNA to create mutants? Mason Eckhart, one of the scientists, decided he needed to destroy all the mutants they had created before we overpower them," Chloe sighed wearily. "I escaped."

"You were the only one?" Darren asked in disbelief.

Chloe shook her head. "I don't know- I think so."

"How long were you at Genomex?"

"My DNA was spliced when I was a child, but I wasn't taken to Genomex until a few months ago." Chloe's eyes glazed over as she remembered...

Chloe's wrists burned from the men's tight grip. She cried out in pain as she fell to the floor trying to keep up with their fast pace.

"Where are you taking me?" she shouted, glancing up helplessly at the guards.

Just when Chloe thought she couldn't take the pain any longer, the group stopped in front of a cell. They tossed her inside, shutting the door loudly behind her. Chloe hit the wall hard. She could taste the blood dripping from her nose, and she gingerly touched the wound on her forehead. She glanced around in a slight panic. A pungent stench hung in the moist air, and a strong feeling of loneliness overcame her.

"You must be new," a female voice filled the damp, dark cell, causing Chloe to brighten a bit.

"Where are we?" Chloe asked softly.

"Genomex," the girl stepped closer. "I'm Ashley."

"Chloe."

"So, what are you?" Ashley asked curiously.

"Human," Chloe looked at Ashley strangely, easing herself to the ground.

"No," Ashley laughed. "What's your mutant ability?"

Chloe looked at her blankly. "Care to enlighten me?" she returned sarcastically.

"There are four types- feral, human DNA mixed with animal DNA, molecular, they can affect their molecules, like change their body density, elementals can shoot fire, ice or electricity from their hands, and psyonics affect your mind. Which are you?"

"Got me."

"Did Morgenstein's guards just pull you out of your house? How can you not know?" Ashley shook her head in shock, her hazel eyes wide.

"Look I don't know! One minute I was walking down the street and the next-- the guards are coming back!" Chloe said urgently.

"You're definitely a feral," Ashley told her, as she crouched next to Chloe.

A few seconds later, two guards entered the cell, and shoved Ashley to the side, firmly grabbing Chloe's wrists. The guards dragged her down the hallway, Chloe too tired to even put up a fight. This was how Chloe soon found herself seated in front of her captor, John Morgenstein.

"Miss Anderson," he stretched his lips widely, almost grimacing. "I assume you've heard from Miss Rees about your mutant gifts."

Chloe glared at him through swollen eyes, not moving a muscle.

Morgenstein walked around his desk so he towered over her. She shuddered as she glanced into the black, hollow-less pits that were his eyes. "Here's the plan, Miss Anderson. I know you don't know how to use your feral abilities yet. But lucky for you, ferals have a tendency to fight back when they are attacked. You have been captured because you have the potential to be one of the most powerful ferals, and when one is going to take over the world, you need an army of powerful mutants," Morgenstein gestured to the guards to take her into an adjoining room.

Chloe stood still in the middle of a plain white room. She heard the doors slam shut, and she sensed what was coming. She barely felt guards' attack, their fists brutally punching her chest and sides. Her mind and body were too tired, too beaten to care. The punches soon became more frequent, more excruciating. Chloe was dimly aware of Morgenstein laughing giddily, enjoying her pain. Suddenly, Chloe's legs were kicked out from under her, and something clicked. Her body burned with newfound power, her mind with newfound confidence. She needed to fight back; she wanted to fight back. The guards had stopped beating her, unaware that her mutant power had taken control. A growl erupted from her lungs, and her tawny, cat-like eyes put new fear into the guards' hearts. Chloe leaped up and viciously attacked the guards, blaming them for all that had happened to her. Every punch she threw was stronger, every leap she made higher, and every sickening crunch more satisfying.

"That's enough! Stop her!" Morgenstein's voice snapped her back to reality.

She looked at her body, drenched with a blood not her own. How could she have done this? Chloe looked at the unconscious bodies of the guards with dismay, then at Morgenstein with pure hatred. The guards snapped a pair of metal bracelets onto her wrists, and led her back to her cell. Chloe curled up in the corner, wanting more than anything to be in her home. Ashley sat down next to her, and put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"The worst is over; they won't make you kill anymore," Ashley told her softly. "You're part of the army now; they'll teach you how to control your power."

Chloe just looked at her sadly and closed her eyes to keep her tears from falling.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

Darren stared at her, his eyes full of sympathy. "That's horrible."

Chloe nodded grimly, "Ashley was wrong too, the next few months were just as bad. Everyday we got up and fought with each other, trying to inflict as much pain on each other as possible. If we did something wrong, if we didn't try, we got shocked through those metal cuffs, like a dog." Chloe frowned deeply. "When Mason Eckhart, a scientist at Genomex, found out what Morgenstein was planning on doing, he turned him into the police, telling them about the illegal gene manipulation. But he conveniently forgot to tell the police about the army Morgenstein had been forming. Eckhart began to try and locate the secret place that Morgenstein had hidden his army in order to eliminate them. He was scared of us, and what we might do to the world. One night, the night you found me, he found us." ...

The sky opened up and the rain poured down from the heavens. Chloe threw punch after punch, her stomach growling from hunger, the rain washing away the sweat that accumulated from the day's harsh fighting. Her opponent fell to the ground, and once again Chloe was victorious, but it didn't matter anymore. Her life had no meaning. Everyday she woke up only to find that she was fighting for a cause that she didn't believe in, and she didn't want to do that anymore.

A shrill alarm rang loudly. Chloe looked around in a slight panic; she knew, like all the others, that the alarm was only for one purpose. They had been found, and were going to die.

Chaos ensued as Eckhart's army marched in, carrying what mutants feared most, guns. Chloe ran as fast as her legs could carry her, slipping in the mud. She hadn't gotten very far when the impassable perimeter fence stopped her. Her feral side taking control, she turned to face the enemy and do the only thing she could do, fight. Chloe leapt up into the air, landing in front of the army. She took down person after person, ignoring anything that stood in her way. In a sudden moment of peace, she stopped fighting to survey the activity around her. She became lost in a daze, thinking about her friends as they were killed for trying to defend themselves.

"Chloe!" Ashley's panicked voice put Chloe on high alert.

She turned in the direction that Ashley's voice was coming from, only to see a gun pointed straight at her chest. She gasped in fear and braced herself for the oncoming pain. But Ashley had stepped in front of her, and using her molecular abilities, changed her body density to block the bullet.

"I owe you one," Chloe breathed with relief.

"You can thank me later, let's go!" Ashley and Chloe sprinted towards the gate. Ashley placed her hand on the metal, changing its density so Chloe could run through. Ashley followed, leaving the ruthless slaughtering of innocent mutants behind.

"Where's Ashley now?" Darren asked Chloe, after a moment of silence.

Chloe looked at the floor, shrugging. "I don't know. One moment, I looked behind me to see if she was there. And she wasn't. I had to keep going, I had to escape from them. I knew I wouldn't be able to help her until I had helped myself."

A sigh escaped from Chloe's lips as she slowly got down from the barstool.

"Going to bed?" Darren questioned.

Chloe nodded, "I need to take about a million sleeping pills to gets those images out of my head."

"Want me to wake Angie? She's a pysonic, a telempathic specifically, and she can calm your emotions," Darren offered.

"I can deal with it." Chloe headed off down the hallway to the medical lab, limping slightly.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

"We need to help the other mutants, Michael!" Darren exclaimed, early the next morning.

"But as Chloe said she thinks she's the only one who survived. We don't even have a full team: we're short a molecular, and our resident feral's not in any condition to fight," Michael sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"I can do it," Chloe exclaimed, hobbling in.

"I know ferals don't like to be cooped up very long, but you need to rest," Michael insisted, pushing her gently towards the chair he had just vacated.

"I want to find Ashley," Chloe said stubbornly, as she struggled to stand up.

"Chloe, be rational! You friend is probably dead," Michael shouted at her.

Chloe growled at him, and her round pupils shrunk into diamonds, changing to an orange-yellow. "Don't say that! Ashley is alive!"

Michael shook his head, turning his back to her.

"Hey Michael, a molecular just ran into the alley and went through the brick into the Safe Haven," Angie popped her head in.

Chloe, Darren, and Michael all looked at each other before rushing after Angie.

"No fair, you guys!" Chloe protested. "I'm not as fast as you with crutches!"

The group quickly reached the wall the molecular had penetrated. A young girl lay sprawled out on the floor. Her arms and legs were covered in purple welts, and her clothes were filthy and soaking wet. Streaks of her blood intruded into her bright blonde hair.

"That's Ashley," Chloe smirked at Michael, before leaning down to help her friend. "Ash, can you hear me?"

"Hey Chlo," Ashley smiled weakly. "I knew I'd find you."

Chloe took her friend's hand and beamed at her. Darren and Angie grinned with excitement as Michael looked at Ashley in disbelief.

"How is she?" Chloe asked Darren later as she walked up to the medical lab. She peered inside only to see Michael talking with Ashley.

"She will be fine," Darren answered. "But she'll be crippled like you for awhile."

Chloe grinned suddenly, an idea forming in her head. "We can help the other mutants now. We have a full team."

"First you have to convince the only non-mutant among us."

Chloe sneered at the thought but held her tongue.

"Chloe, Darren, can you come in here?" Michael called from the lab.

Chloe and Darren walked in, and were greeted by Ashley, Angie, and Michael. Michael looked at each of their faces. Chloe, strong and determined, Darren, brave and trusting, and Ashley, proud and resilient. And Angie, who was peering at him curiously through her deep blue eyes, reading his feelings like a book.

"I know what you guys want to do. I know you want to fight for the mutants, to save them from Eckhart. I have thought about this a lot, and I want you to know that even though I don't like the idea of five against hundreds, I will help you."

A slow grin spread across Chloe's face as Michael's words sunk in. "Really?"

Michael nodded, "This is going to be a tough war. Our lives will be in jeopardy every step of the way. Are you willing to accept that?"

Each of the mutants nodded. "It's worth it Michael," Angie told him.

There was an awkward silence as each member contemplated the trials to come.

"Well," Darren grinned, breaking the silence. "I guess that means we've finally found ourselves a team."

**Thanks so much to all my loyal reviewers! melodie568, gelf, deathraveness, and anto**

**anto: lexa, as well as adam will be coming into the story soon. Notice this is Part 1 of 3 parts. The different stages of MX so to speak. **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

Artificial light filled the room, causing the feral to cry out in pain. The molecular inhabiting the stiff bed across the room stuffed a pillow over her face with a moan.

"What the hell? It's 4:00 in the morning," Chloe hissed, rising up onto her elbows.

"Chlo, it's the first of the month," Ashley reminded her.

"Already?" Chloe threw herself back onto her cot dramatically.

Ashley trudged over to Chloe's side and shoved her. "Let's go."

Chloe rolled off the cot and followed her best friend out of the med-bay, where she and Ashley had been living for the past six months. Angie and Darren were silently shoveling cereal into their mouths. Chloe gave a grunt of greeting and slid in next to Darren.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Good morning guys."

After a few minutes of silence, all heads turned towards the sound of the approaching footsteps.

"Tell me again why we have to do this so early in the morning." Chloe's fierce gaze met Michael's chocolate orbs.

"The first time we did this six months ago, we tried doing it at 9 am, but you had gotten enough rest and you tied me to a chair," Michael said dryly.

"Ashley let you out," Chloe protested.

Michael raised an eyebrow. Chloe scoffed. "One time and you're labeled for life."

"You've done the same thing or something similar for the five months after that," Darren reminded her. "Last time, you let all the oil out in the car so it overheated!"

"Yeah, whatever," Chloe gulped down the rest of her breakfast and stomped over to the coat closet to grab a jacket. "Ready?"

Their breath was frosty in the crisp, thick morning air. By the time they reached the mountains, the sun was just peaking over the crests of the hilltops.

Each pound of her feet echoed after a huff of breath. Her arms pumped rhythmically at her sides, her eyes were fixed straight ahead through a clearing in the trees. She could see Michael's figure about 200 meters away shadowed by the sun. Inhaling deeply, she churned her feet swiftly beneath her, passing Michael in a full sprint before decelerating to a jog, then a walk.

"Well?" Chloe queried after a few calming breathes.

"Two minutes and forty seconds," Michael reported. Glancing up at her, he added, "That's an abnormally fast mile."

"So I'm all healed," Chloe flashed a grin of relief.

"Yeah, I'd say," Michael chuckled, glancing over her shoulder as he caught a glance of the other three members of the team.

Chloe followed his gaze and waved gaily with a huge grin on her face. She was greeted with harsh glares as they slowed to cross the finish. "What?"

"You're the feral," Ashley choked out, sweating profusely. "You run insanely fast."

Chloe shrugged and plopped down on the dewy grass. She plucked a leaf from the ground and twirled it around her fingers. Darren threw himself down beside her, feigning pain. Chloe smacked him playfully, giggling lightly. Ashley and Angie were focused on Michael, who was intently making notations on a pad of paper. After a few minutes, Michael looked up with an easy-going grin.

"Well Ash and Chloe, seems you two are finally up to your normal health. Angie and Darren, I have never seen you run that fast in my entire life."

Angie let out a laugh of disbelief. "All that for nothing?"

"I said good job," Michael protested.

"Yeah, yeah," Angie headed off towards the car.

Michael and Ashley ambled off behind her. Chloe stretched, flexing her sleek muscles before rising onto her feet. Inhaling the fresh mountain air one last time, she slowly strolled down the hill.

"Chloe," a pathetic voice called from behind her. "Carry me."

"No, Dar. Let's go hun."

* * *

"We need a plan." Chloe spun around in a computer desk chair.

Michael looked at her oddly, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, we're all healthy now. A full, healthy team," Chloe pointed out between rotations.

Michael still looked completely and utterly lost.

"Don't tell me you're backing out!" Chloe's voice echoed in every corner of the room.

"Chloe! Stop spinning! You're making me sick!" Ashley snapped.

Chloe stopped in mid-spin looking like a deer caught in headlights.

"Look Michael. We're ready to fight. The past six months we've been watching Morgenstein build up a new army of Mutants and his company, Genomex, is thriving. We're ready to go," Angie explained seriously.

Michael felt four pairs of eyes burning into his. He looked into Angie's midnight blue eyes. He could feel the shock and pain reflected in those emotion-filled eyes.

"You are having second thoughts," Angie accused, her anger striking him like lightning.

"It's just. You guys are so young. I mean Chloe is only 16 years old, and Ashley's 18—"

"And I'm 22 and Angie's 21 and you're 35, so what?" Darren proclaimed. "Our life is dangerous Michael. We can barely go outside! This is no way to live."

"There were mutants younger than us in Morgenstein's army and Morgenstein is still out there." Michael could see Chloe trying to maintain her composure. But her fists were clenched at her sides, her mouth was set in a straight line, and she was breathing in short, tight gasps. One thing Michael had learned in the six months Chloe and Ashley had lived there: Chloe had a short temper, and once she starts, she doesn't stop.

He gave Angie a quick glance and she nodded.

"Don't you dare blast me!" Chloe warned, her orange feral eyes glowing.

"Then calm down Chlo," Ashley soothed. "Save it for the people who deserve it."

Chloe sat down, rubbing her temples gently. "I'm sorry guys. I'm fine now."

"Michael, we have to do this," Ashley spoke gently, squeezing his hand lightly.

Michael glanced around at their hard-set faces and knew this was a battle he wasn't going to win. "Okay, but this is going to take months of planning."

"So you mean that I'll be able to die at 17 instead?" Chloe smirked.

"Chloe, be serious. Come on," Darren was un-amused.

Chloe sobered up immediately. "Let's do it."

* * *

_Six months later_

"T minus 24 hours and counting," Ashley announced.

"You know what this means?" Michael stopped scanning the website he was looking at and glanced up at Ashley.

"We finally get to see Darren and Angie again?" Ashley replied with a grin.

Michael laughed. "Sure. Exactly."

"So what's California like?" Ashley attempted to start a conversation.

"Hot," Michael replied looking back to the screen.

"Helpful," Ashley rolled her eyes and went back to work.

"Guys," Chloe's voice appeared behind Michael's shoulder.

"Shit, where did you come from?" Michael gasped.

"Um, my room," Chloe frowned in confusion.

"Right," Ashley laughed. "What's up?"

"I just talked with Ang and Darren. They're ready for tomorrow," Chloe leaned against the back of Michael's chair. "We headin' out there?"

"Give me a few hours," Michael requested before standing and walking towards his office.

"Hey Mikey, how long is this car ride exactly?" Chloe called after him.

"Just long enough for you to give me a migraine," Michael muttered.

"I heard that. I'm a feral you idiot," Chloe snorted.

"Exactly," Michael sighed.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

"Hey little girl!" Darren swung Chloe around in a tight hug.

"I don't think that name applies anymore," Angie pointed out. "You've grown at least four inches."

"And you have a goatee," Ashley rubbed Darren's chin playfully.

Zillions of hugs were exchanged between the four before Michael appeared. Their laughter was cut short.

"Hey Michael!" Darren exclaimed.

"Man, you have one hell of a headache," Angie's face contorted in pain.

"Believe me, I know," Michael brushed by them, walking into the apartment complex where Darren and Angie had been setting up headquarters for the past few months.

"Chloe in cars," Ashley said in explanation.

Darren and Angie nodded in understanding and the four followed their leader to their new headquarters.

* * *

"You ready to do this?" Ashley whispered to Chloe outside of Morgenstein's mutant holding facility.

"I don't want to see him again," Chloe replied softly.

"You have to," Ashley urged.

"I know," Chloe sighed. "What's the time?"

"9:29," Ashley replied.

"One more minute," Chloe said in monotone. "See you later."

Ashley nodded and squeezed Chloe's hand.

Chloe crept along the outskirts of the institution. By now, Darren should have been able to disable the security cameras. Morgenstein and the majority of his guards were being detained by some catastrophe brewing in Angie's head. Ashley would take the bottom floor, Chloe the top. In and out.

Chloe reached out and brushed her fingertips over the cold metal handle of the heavy white door. She knew what lay behind that door.

_She couldn't see. She stumbled forward, caught by a painful jerk of her wrists. Burning. Fear. Hate. Perspiration dripped down her face as her panic escalated. She fell onto the cold, hard pavement. The taste of blood rolled over her tongue. _

_"Get movin' bitch!"_

With a gasp, Chloe jumped back from the door. A tear trickled down her cheek, leaving a salty trail. She took a deep breath. "Let's go Chloe." Feral eyes flashing, Chloe listened for movement before cautiously opening the door. Empty. She slinked quietly down the hall, peering through the side doors for employees.

Chloe paused in the intersection of two dark, narrow halls. The only sound was the pounding of feet in the distance. They were running. Why? Chloe looked at the supposedly broken camera, and all she saw was a flashing red light. Shit. It was on. Guards suddenly appeared in every hall, sprinting towards her at a fast rate. She immediately took off back towards the entrance. Every step took her closer to the huge, muscular guards. Three steps away. Two. Chloe inhaled deep and took a fighting stance.

* * *

Ashley watched Chloe scale along the side of the building before heading in the opposite direction. She stopped beside part of the huge cement wall. She placed her hand on the wall, inhaling deeply and promptly stepped through. The instant she stepped into the room, Ashley was struck on the side of the head. She fell to the floor, catching herself with her hands. Through blurry eyes, Ashley lifted her throbbing head in attempt to locate the wall. Finally she took a deep breath and rolled through the wall. She could feel vibrations in the ground from someone else's footsteps. When Ashley glanced up, relief washed through her when she could make out Chloe's blurred figure.

"Can you move?" Chloe tugged on her arm, helping rise to her feet. "Let's go."

* * *

"What the hell happened?!" Chloe screeched when she and Ashley stumbled into the apartment a few hours later.

Feelings of pain and betrayal washed over Angie as soon as the two mutants entered. Upon quick examination, she decided they were okay, except for the black ring forming around Chloe's eyes and the dried blood caked around a deep slit on her puffed up upper lip. Angie's head was throbbing from Ashley's headache.

"Did you get kicked in the head?" Angie asked, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, in fact I did," Ashley sat down carefully on the sofa.

"Where's Darren?" Chloe furrowed her eyebrows as she finally glanced around the room.

Angie's heart contracted painfully. Chloe noticed the shift in her demeanor and gently shoved Michael away from examining her eye. "What's wrong Ang?" When Angie didn't respond, Michael became the object of Chloe's insistent stare.

"He was hurt, that's why the cameras were on," Michael informed her.

"Well, is he okay?" Chloe asked frantically.

"It's touch and go," Michael replied softly.

Ashley and Chloe looked at them in disbelief. Angie felt a searing pain rip through her and she quickly excused herself, stopping behind a corner. She collapsed against the wall, her body racked with sobs. In nearly seconds, Angie felt Chloe's comforting arms wrap around her, her natural feral maternal instinct taking over.

"He'll be fine, don't worry," Chloe soothed.

"He's in so much pain," Angie choked out.

"Yeah, I know," Chloe rocked her gently until she fell calmly to sleep from exhaustion.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey everyone! Yeah I know, long time no see. I've been busy, but now I'm updating and I hope you all haven't forgotten all about me. Hope you enjoy the new chapter, please review!! Ali_

**Chapter 7**

"Angie, go to bed," Chloe rubbed her drowsy eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.

Her dark blue eyes never strayed from Darren's peaceful face. She gently brushed back stray curly lock of black hair, a soft smile gracing her face.

"I never noticed," Chloe smiled knowingly.

"What?" Angie looked back at her.

"You've fallen in love with him," Chloe laughed breathily.

"For a while now," Angie admitted.

"While you were here without us?"

Angie nodded, "We've been together for about four months before this, so really seven."

Chloe sat down beside her, leaning her head on Angie's shoulder. "Hey, he's fine, right?"

"I know. I just have a bad feeling," Angie sighed.

"We're fighting a war Ang. Everyone's freaked out. You're probably just picking up on that," Chloe reasoned.

"Probably," Angie agreed reluctantly.

"So, let's go to bed," Chloe nudged her gently. But one look at Angie's reluctant expression brought out a sigh and an eye roll. She ambled off into the darkness and returned a few minutes later with a wool blanket, wrapping it around Angie's shoulders. "Goodnight honey. Try to get some sleep, okay?"

* * *

"So, new plan?" Ashley strolled into the kitchen, and sat down next to Chloe's still body. "Chloe, wake up, we're talking."

Chloe rubbed the sleep from her eyes and let out a gigantic yawn. "Sorry, plan, right."

"Okay, that's nasty. You have jelly in your hair," Ashley sneered and separated the sticky mess from Chloe's hair.

"Like you've never fallen asleep in your breakfast," Chloe scoffed, subtly tucking the strand of hair behind her ear. "Weren't we talking business?"

"Yeah. We need to wait for Angie and Darren," Ashley leaned tiredly against Chloe's shoulder.

"We're here," Darren said, strolling in hand-in-hand with Angie.

"Okay, it's been four months since our last break-in attempt," Chloe straightened her posture, ready for business. "I have to estimate at least another five or six months before we can try again."

"Why so long?" Ashley questioned, twirling a golden curl around her finger.

"Besides the obvious," Chloe nodded towards Darren. "They're waiting for us to try again."

"And how's waiting longer going to change anything?" Angie replied.

Chloe shrugged. "We obviously need a better plan, the first one took us that long."

"I think that no matter what we do they're going to know we're coming. I mean, they caught us last time. No problem. They were ready for all of us," Ashley said in frustration. "How? How could they have possibly known?"

The silence was tense in the room.

"Could we be bugged?" Chloe spoke.

"Bugged?" Darren looked confused.

"Could me and Ashley have an implant, uh, in us, I guess, that could trace our location?" Chloe brought up unsurely.

"If that were the case, why would they not be able to find you here?" Angie pointed out.

Ashley shrugged, "What if it alerts him when we're near?"

"No," Chloe disagreed emphatically. "We were in his army, it would make sense for us to have a tracking device."

"Can we check for something like that?" Darren asked.

"Metal detector?" Chloe suggested.

"Worth a try," Angie nodded.

* * *

"There's something in your neck, both of your necks actually," Michael pushed away from the computer desk and sighed.

"Uh, gross," Ashley scoffed.

"Ditto," Chloe grinned in amusement at Ashley's reaction.

"And they are…what exactly?" Darren questioned.

"Best guess?" Michael grimaced. "Computer chips."

Everyone let out a unanimous groan.

"Can we deactivate them?" Chloe rubbed the back of her neck, trying to feel for the device.

"Yeah, probably. Morgenstein was probably counting on the fact that we wouldn't find them," Michael assured them.

"Well, let's do it to it!" Chloe clapped her hands together, raring to go.

"Not so fast," Michael held up a hand.

"What's the problem?" Ashley raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, what if they have a self-destruct mechanism? We need to be careful," Michael warned.

Chloe frowned and voiced her disagreement. "I think that either we take these things out, or Ashley and I need to leave—to protect you."

"Come on!" Darren protested.

"No, if we have trackers, we could be ambushed at any moment," Chloe pointed out.

"Just stay, let me do some tests, we'll figure it out. Calm down, okay?" Michael placed his hands soothingly on the feral's shoulders. "Okay?"

Chloe nodded and closed her eyes with a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I'm feeling a little caged up. I think I'll go for a walk." Before she disappeared out the door, she looked back at them with her serious crystal blue eyes. "I'll be careful, I won't disappear, I'll come back."

"Soon," Michael cautioned.

Chloe nodded and left.

* * *

Quiet feet padded quickly down the hall, entering a dimly lit room at the end. The door slid open silently, and a tiny smile graced his face as he felt her presence in the room.

She knelt lightly on the bed and nestled her head in the crook of his back after a few pristine moments of pure silence, Darren frowned and turned to look into Angie's sea blue eyes.

"You okay?" he whispered in concern.

Angie shrugged.

Darren gave her a look of disbelief. "Please, how long have we been together, much less known each other? What's up?"

"I just have a bad feeling," she shrugged. "It's probably nothing. Don't worry."

Darren looked at her skeptically before sighing and kissing her forehead. "Okay, you win."

* * *

Chloe watched her breath crystallize in the frosty evening air. Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she leaned heavily against the brick wall and glanced up at the apartment.

Suddenly, a scream pierced through the thick air.

"Oh shit."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Chloe took off running down the street towards the apartment at a full sprint. "Please be alright, please be alright." She burst into the main room, absorbing the tears streaming down Ashley's heartbroken face. "No," Chloe whispered, shaking her head.

She rushed to the door of Angie and Darren's bedroom and let out a sickening wail. "No," she whimpered. "No." Michael stood off in the corner, arms crossed over his chest, head bowed. Angie was crouched in the center of the room over Darren's lifeless body.

"How? How?" Chloe stammered.

"Bullet to the head, through the window," Angie choked out. "I knew something bad was going to happen."

"This is my fault," Chloe sobbed. "I lead them right to him!"

Angie shook her head in disagreement. She leaned down and gently placed her lips on his, a tear falling gently down onto his cheek. "I'll love you forever." Chloe burst into a fresh round of tears, embracing Ashley tightly.

* * *

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…"

Chloe wrapped an arm around Angie, who leaned her head against Chloe's shoulder with a shaky breath.

Silently, Ashley and Michael dropped roses onto Darren's mahogany coffin. Chloe gave Angie a final squeeze before placing her rose on top of the other two. She slowly ran a hand down the length of the coffin. "Bye."

Angie stepped forward, choking back tears. "Well," she paused, and then laughed tightly, "what am I supposed to say? I love you. I miss you. How can I live without you?" She gently pursed her lips. "We're going to get them Darren. We're not going to stop fighting for freedom. Your death will be avenged." Angie laid her rose on his coffin. "I love you." With one final glance, Angie walked into her family's waiting arms.

_6 months later_

"Hey Ash," Chloe let herself in with a swipe of a room key and threw her body down on the hotel bed.

"How was work?" Ashley exited the bathroom clothed in a bathrobe and running her fingers through her damp hair.

Chloe lifted her head up long enough to give her a look of disbelief.

Ashley gave her a wry grin. "Why do I bother asking?"

"I really don't know," Chloe rolled off the bed and trudged over to their desk to get her laptop and plugged it in. She pulled up a chair and the two mutants silently waited for the computer to load. A ding signified a new email message.

"From Angie?" Ashley asked flatly.

Chloe nodded and clicked on the message.

"Any news?"

Chloe let a short laugh and shook her head. "It's a birthday card?"

Ashley frowned in confusion. "What?"

"Today's my 19th birthday," Chloe informed her. "What kind of hell do we live in that I forget my own birthday?"

* * *

Angie pushed back from the desk and placed her spectacles on the table. The past six months had been a blur. Soon after Darren's death, Ashley and Chloe had separated from Michael and Angie for their safety. They hadn't seen each other since. The only communication they had was daily emails.

Angie and Michael had set up a home base of sorts. Everything the group needed to find Morgenstein's army was hooked up inside of a dingy little apartment they had been calling home. Ashley and Chloe were motel hopping, never staying in more than one place for over two weeks, picking up shifts as waitresses to make some money.

Angie habitually flipped on the television and started a pot of coffee, knowing that Michael would need some fuel for the long night of work ahead. She couldn't help but feel that every day that passed them by without finding the hiding place for Morgenstein's army of mutants the less of a chance they had of finding them at all.

Frantic pounding echoed throughout the room as someone ran down the hallway outside. Angie heard the lock click open and Michael flew inside in a giddy sort of haze.

For the first time in a really long time, a goofy, amused grin spread over Angie's face. She could feel that something was different. New, exciting. Angie hadn't been around anyone who had projected such emotions in a long time.

"What happened?" Angie asked in expectation.

"I found them," Michael beamed, shaking his head a little in disbelief.

"Seriously?" Angie gasped, uttering the question, but knowing the answer.

The two embraced in a relieved hug and then the real questions began.

"How? Where? Did you tell Chlo and Ashley? When are we going?"

Michael laughed, a foreign sound to Angie's ears. "Slow down! Deep breaths Ang. Okay. Firstly, I found out purely by luck, searching and hacking just like we've been doing for the past few years. The headquarters is actually near the Great Wall of China, hidden in the mountains. I haven't told Chloe or Ashley, and we are headed out at the crack of dawn tomorrow."

"Wow," Angie couldn't help but smile. "Just, wow. I can't believe this."

* * *

An uncomfortable silence sat in the air as the plane bounced through the sky.

"Coach sucks," Chloe whined, shifting restlessly in her seat.

"The plane would have turbulence no matter where we were sitting," Michael rolled his eyes.

Chloe's face twisted into an expression of extreme displeasure. "But at least I wouldn't be sitting next to him." She gestured towards the seat beside her, whose occupant was dead asleep and drooling with his head on the feral's shoulder.

Michael signed wearily, "Man, I missed you Chloe."

"Aw, I missed you too Mike," Chloe grinned cheekily. "How much longer?"

"A few hours," Ashley replied, glancing towards her.

Chloe groaned, and accidentally jostled her friend.

"This is going to be a long flight," Michael sighed.

* * *

"Okay," Michael looked around the table at the three young women sitting across from him. "Have we done everything we need to?"

"I think so," Angie nodded. "Supplies, deactivating the trackers…"

"We're good, let's go," Chloe's mouth was set in a grim line of determination.

They were ready for battle.

* * *

Perfection. That's the only way Chloe could describe how this mission was going.

Angie had effectively distracted the guards so Michael could sneak in to disable the cameras. Chloe and Ashley had penetrated the outer limits of the building and were now racing towards the lower level. Chloe took steps two at a time until she reached the bottom.

A sickeningly familiar stench filled her nose, and a deep aching tightened across her chest. Even though it was a different location, Chloe knew this place all too well. She crept stealthily down the dank, dimly lit hall towards the cells. Bodies were strewn across the floor; Angie's doing no doubt. The closer she became, the louder the pitiful wails of the captive mutants became.

"Shh," Chloe's voice echoed through he huge underground stone archways. "I've come to free you." Chloe quickly approached the first cell and glanced inside at the occupant. A frail girl peered back at her with large green eyes. "Hey sweetie. How many are there of you?"

"About 50," the girl whispered, hope filling her face.

"All of them as young as you?" Chloe asked.

The girl nodded.

"Okay, let's get you guys out of here," Chloe smiled weakly. "Where are those three?" she muttered, placing her hands on the bars of the child's cage. She let out a grunt of effort as she pulled the bars apart so the girl could escape. "Do you know where the keys are?"

The girl nodded again.

"Great," Chloe sighed. "I'm Chloe, I'm a feral. What's your name?"

"Bianca, I'm an electrical elemental," the girl replied.

"Okay, let's get everyone out of here! You get the keys, and start at one end. I'll meet you in the middle." Chloe raced off in one direction after she made sure Bianca was off in the other.

Chloe pulled apart bar after bar as she raced down the rows of cells. Finally, all the kids were out and the group ran towards the exit. As they reached higher levels the piercing wail of a siren filled the air. "Come on! Hurry up guys," Chloe encouraged. She led them through the twists and turns of Morgenstein's building. With a final push of the heavy external doors, they were free.

"Chloe, where do we go?" Bianca tugged the feral's hand.

Chloe looked over the landscape desperately. Michael was supposed to be there with an escape vehicle. "Where is he?"

Three days later and nothing. Chloe decided that they couldn't stay in the mountains outside Morgenstein's facility any longer. The kids were getting hungry and as much as Chloe hated leaving her teammates behind, it was unsafe to be there.

So they walked down the hills of the mountains, Chloe figuring that there had to be a tourist attraction to stop at nearby, because it was the Great Wall, after all. AS luck would have it, after a full seven hours of straight walking, the group found themselves on the outskirts of Beijing.

"None of you happen to speak Mandarin, huh?" Chloe looked out over the sea of sad eyes. "No? I figured as much. Okay Bi, you are in charge. Stay here. I will be back within a day. Got it?"

The elemental child nodded and relayed the message to the rest of the kids. Chloe walked the last few miles to the city. She strolled into a nightclub, sat down at the bar and pulled a slip of paper from her back pocket.

Michael's voice sounded in her head. _If something goes wrong, just call this number_.

She fingered the torn paper in her hands for a few moments before taking a deep breath. "What the hell am I getting myself into?"

_Please review! Ali_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

"What a cliché," Chloe thought in amusement. A bright spotlight blinded her as she sat in the middle of a dark room. "An interrogation room, if you will," Chloe reasoned internally. "How the hell did I get into this?"

Well, that was a simple enough question to answer. Chloe had called the number Michael had given to her and within an hour a plane had picked her and the children up. Next she knew, the kids were gone and she was sitting under this light.

"Ms. Anderson, I presume?" A voice filled the room so suddenly that Chloe jumped.

"That's me," Chloe offered a shaky grin.

"Nineteen years old, feline feral," it continued. "We're prepared to offer you a deal."

"What do you mean a deal? Where are the kids? Who the hell are you?" Chloe spewed.

"You need not worry about the kids anymore," the voice returned. "You are a member of Michael Carlson's team. As of now, Michael Carlson, Ashley Rees, and Angie Valentine are being held captive at Genomex. I'm sure you want to rescue them."

"What's the deal part of that?" Chloe questioned.

"We help you, you belong to us," it replied.

"I figured that," Chloe took a deep breath. "And what, may I ask, is this company I'm dedicating my life to?"

"The Dominion."

* * *

Chloe shifted around uncomfortably in her plane chair. She wasn't entirely sure how much time had passed since her first meeting with the Dominion. The past few…whatevers…had been a blur.

"Ms. Anderson, we're approaching the Genomex holding facility," the pilot's voice came over the loudspeaker.

Chloe nodded in acknowledgment. Since the meeting, Chloe had begun learning martial arts, computer skills, and how to fly with the promise that her Dominion boot camp would return once her friends were rescued.

She had a bad feeling…some lurking, heavy feeling sat in her chest, like the closer they got to Genomex, the more her life was enveloped by darkness. The plan was simple. With the Dominion's backing, Chloe and the other operatives could easily overcome any forces that Genomex had. In fact, Chloe's unit was last, thus she didn't even have to do the dirty work.

The plane landed on the ground, and Chloe strolled up to the pilot.

"The first unit was successful in their mission, the outer limits have been penetrated. They're ready for your unit."

"Let's do it," Chloe sighed nonchalantly and lead her agents off the plane.

She entered the building, gun drawn. The silence was deafening. Chloe came to an abrupt halt in front of the nearest agent.

"Status report," she barked, eyes flashing.

"The entire building is under our control. You are to report to the center room where Morgenstein is being held."

Chloe gave a curt nod and hurried to the center of the building. The darkness shrouded her as she closed in on Morgenstein. She placed a hesitant and on the knob before swinging open the door with a bang. The sight before her made her hurl. A cold sweat broke out over her forehead. After a few minutes, she wiped her mouth dry and turned to face the center of the room. Three bodies hung from the ceiling like limp rag dolls. Chloe choked down tears as she met the steel black eyes of her friends' killer.

"Ms. Anderson? What would you like –"

BANG! Morgenstein fell to the floor with a loud thump. All eyes stared at Chloe, whose gun was still smoking.

"Cut them down," Chloe ordered. "And let's get out of here."

* * *

_1 year later_

Happiness. She wasn't sure she knew what that meant anymore. A smile hadn't graced her face in over a year. That girl in her memories – the one with the bright smile, sparkling eyes – the feisty feral – Chloe didn't know her anymore.

She walked down the metallic hallway at the Dominion headquarters, her boots clicking with every step. She was leaving this prison. A strange feeling sat in her chest. An anticipation. Maybe this was happiness.

She often had dreams about times before. Her short time in Safe Haven was the happiest time of her life. If her friends saw her today they wouldn't recognize her. To tell the truth, she wouldn't want them to.

Armed with false identification papers, Chloe's mission was simple – infiltrate Genomex. After Morgenstein's death, the company was taken over by Mason Eckhart and Adam Kane. Rumors spread like wildfire throughout the Dominion. Adam Kane was unhappy at Genomex, immediately making him a top priority at the Dominion.

* * *

New research assistant Laila Garrahan strolled confidently down the sterile white halls of Genomex towards Adam's office. Clothed in a pristine lab coat, crisp business suit with spectacles perched delicately atop her nose, she looked nothing like the dangerous predator she really was.

She paused before the door designating her boss' office, letting her hand float over the doorknob before swinging the door open without so much as a knock.

Unfazed, a young man with intelligent brown eyes cocked an eyebrow towards the woman. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I believe so Dr. Kane," Laila clicked over to his desk and stuck out her hand. "Laila Garrahan."

"Right," he replied. He grasped her hand briefly. "I'm Dr. Adam Kane, obviously. Let me show you to your office.

Laila watched the door snap shut before lowering herself primly into her desk chair. She reached into her purse and pulled out a flash drive, plugging it into the computer. With a few quick taps of the keyboard, a shadowy figure appeared on the screen.

"I assume everything has gone according to plan, Ms. Anderson?" The voice boomed.

Chloe – Laila – spun around in her chair. "Everything has gone perfectly."

"Excellent," he grinned. "Continue through with the plan, Ms. Anderson. We will be sending further instructions."

Chloe nodded slightly with a satisfied smirk wiped across her face. "Perfect."

Suddenly, there was a rap on the door and Adam reappeared at the entry.

"Yes?" Chloe looked up quickly, an innocent, wide-eyed expression gracing her face.

"A patient just arrived, would you please assist me?" Adam asked.

"Sure," Chloe nodded and stood to follow Adam out the door.

As they strolled down the hall, Adam began grilling her.

"So, what drew you to Genomex?" Adam asked.

"You are on the cutting edge of technology. This is the place to be for students like me," Chloe replied smoothly.

Adam nodded, with almost a grimace on his face. Chloe looked at him with a eyebrow raised, catching his funny look.

"Something wrong?" Chloe questioned.

"No," Adam looked her over. Switching subjects, he focused his suspicions on her. "There's something about you that doesn't sit right with me. Are you a mutant?"

Chloe fixed her angelic baby blues innocently on Adam. "No, not at all." The lie rolled easily off her tongue.

Adam frowned but didn't push the issue. "Here we are." He stopped abruptly and entered a lab room. "This is one of my patients, Nick Blake." Adam turned away to ready equipment but continued talking as the ruggedly handsome mutant turned towards Chloe. As his hazel eyes locked with her azure orbs, electricity crackled in the air. Startled, Chloe was barely aware of Adam's rambling. "Oh, by the way, Nick is a –"

"Feral," Chloe finished without thinking, still entranced by Nick's eyes.

Adam looked up at her, a confused look on his face.

"Um, sixth sense?" Chloe shrugged helplessly.

Adam nodded and turned back to his work while Nick flirtatiously flashed his feral eyes at her with a coy smile. Chloe smirked knowingly back, a funny feeling sitting in her chest, a good feeling. Adam turned back around with a syringe in his hand. "Laila, could you help me out with this please."

Chloe turned white. "With the needle?"

Adam nodded, holding it out to her.

"Okay," Chloe drawled, fingering it in her hand. She stepped to the gurney, noticing Nick's eyes trained nervously on her. Chloe gave him a saucy grin and raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. She looked down at Nick's arm, all prepped and ready to go, and she was at a loss.

At that moment, Adam suddenly cried out, "Damn it! I forgot something. I'll be right back." He strode quickly out the door.

Chloe let out a breath of relief. "Please tell me you know how to do this."

"Give me that!" Nick grabbed the syringe and drew his own blood. "Who are you really?" He tapped her ID badge. "And don't give me this Laila Garrahan crap."

"Why should I tell you anything about me? You are just one of Dr. Kane's patients," Chloe retorted coolly.

Nick shrugged and settled back down into his chair as Adam walked back into the room.

"Oh good, you drew the blood," Adam acknowledged.

"Yup, I did," Chloe nodded.

"And she did a great job at that," Nick piped in, with Chloe shooting him a dirty look.

"Wonderful," Adam grinned and went about his business.

Please REVIEW! I LOVE THEM! I LIVE FOR THEM: ) Ali


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 

_6 months later_

Chloe strolled into Adam's office and plopped down across from him. "Here's the red top." She tossed it to him.

"Thanks," Adam put it down and turned back to face her. "Hey Laila, I have something very important to discuss with you. Can we have dinner?"

Chloe nodded, "No problem. The usual location?"

Adam smiled. "Of course! I'll see you in about an hour, okay?"

Chloe agreed and excused herself. She crept down the hall to her office and switched on her computer.

"Hello Ms. Anderson," her contact was cloaked in darkness on the screen.

"Hello," Chloe drawled. "Tonight is the night, I think."

"Excellent."

"Have you chosen the two mutants to come with us?" She questioned, spinning in her chair.

"Yes," he responded.

Chloe stared at him, an expectant look on her face. "Well?"

"Taylor March is an 18 year old ice elemental and Scott Harding is a 17 year old telekinetic psyonic. They are both in Genomex's holding facility."

"Okeedokee," Chloe nodded, yawning from boredom. She checked her watch and began to stand. "I have to go. One of Adam's patients has an appointment."

The computer screen went black as Chloe strolled quickly out the door and to the lab. She threw on her lab coat, whipped the door open, and snapped on her gloves. Slightly disheveled, she looked up and locked eyes with Nick, who was looking at her in bemusement. "Hi," she offered, a tiny grin spreading across her face.

"Hi," he returned, chuckling.

"Sorry I'm late," Chloe apologized.

"It's fine," Nick shook his head.

The two settled into easy conversation as she took Nick's vitals. For Chloe, the male feral had helped her grab hold of a part of herself she thought she had lost. She called him an acquaintance but she knew she was floatin' down a long river called "De Nile." She felt a painful aching in her chest when she realized this might be the last time she saw him.

"What's up?" Nick suddenly stopped talking and was looking at her in concern.

"Nothing," Chloe shrugged.

Nick raised an eyebrow, "Cat."

Chloe cracked a half-smile at his nickname for her, but the ice the Dominion froze around her heart wasn't easy to melt, even for the kind-hearted feral sitting across from her.

"I have to go," Chloe quickly stood and practically ran to the door.

Nick was quick too. Chloe's hand rested on the doorknob as Nick pressed the door closed.

"Nick, let me go," Chloe demanded quietly eyes cast downward.

"Look at me," he requested.

She met his eyes confidently, daring him to challenge her further. Whatever Nick was looking for, he didn't find. He shook his head and let out a soft sigh of disappointment as he stepped away. Before she swung open the door, she let out a plea, "Don't come back here, ever. Okay?"

Nick grabbed her and roughly kissed her. Heat swept through her body and the beating of her heart was almost overwhelming. Then it was over. He let her go.

"Bye," she whispered before disappearing through the door.

* * *

She arrived at dinner with a tight smile and in no mood for facades. 

"Laila, hi, what's –" Adam's face portrayed a look of utter confusion.

"Look Kane, I could care less about whatever cute little anecdote you're going to tell me because I promise you it's insignificant compared to what I'm going to say. And I'm in no mood for small talk," Chloe spouted.

"Um, okay Laila," Adam gaped at her.

"Firstly, it's Chloe. Chloe Anderson," she leaned over the table to talk more privately. "I work for an organization called the Dominion."

"That really exists?" Adam asked incredulously.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Yes. I was sent to Genomex to confirm your unhappiness there. We're prepared to offer you a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Adam replied coolly, suddenly seeming to have two feet on the ground.

Chloe smirked, amused at Adam's new found confidence. "You know that mutant sanctuary you want to create?"

"Yeah, I know. How do you know?"

"Small minor details," Chloe said with a flick of her wrist. "The point is, the Dominion is prepared to fund that project."

"What's the catch?" Adam questioned cautiously.

"You manage a team of mutants – a team of four – to be used by the Dominion as a well, we'll say investigation team," Chloe explained. "This team, and you, will be monitored by me."

Adam was silent for several minutes. Chloe shifted impatiently in her chair. "So, then you are a mutant."

Chloe looked at him blankly. "What? Yes, a feral. Did you hear anything I just said?"

"Do I get a chance to consider my options?"

"You can think about it on the way back to Genomex in my car and while my agents escort you to collect your belongings," Chloe reasoned.

"Wonderful," Adam stood. "Ready?"

"Oh, I'm ready. I don't think you know what you're getting into," Chloe replied, facing him across the table.

* * *

Chloe strode purposefully down the hallway and down to the holding cells. She broke the guards' necks with one quick snap and took the keys. Chloe found where Taylor and Scott were being held. She unlocked their cells and barked, "You two, let's go." 

"Who the hell are you?" Scott snorted.

"Loose the attitude kid and get movin'," Chloe gestured to the stairs.

Taylor and Scott glanced at each other in momentary hesitation. Chloe let out a feral growl and the two of them raced up the stairs like a shot. Chloe followed at an even pace.

Adam was standing in front of his office between two of Chloe's burly agents. Chloe was mildly surprised at Adam's lack of fear. He was looking at her with a slight smirk and a twinkle in his eye. "So, who are your friends?"

She cast him an impatient look and spoke, "This is Scott and Taylor. They're coming with us." Chloe signaled to the agents to watch the mutants, and as they began to walk towards the car, Adam fell in pace with Chloe. "Are you…" Chloe paused, "excited?" She glanced at him in disbelief.

Adam remained quiet, but a tiny grin blossomed on his face.

"Well, be thankful you can still be excited," Chloe said.

"What do you mean?" Adam asked in confusion.

This time it was Chloe who stayed silent. _You'll find out_.

* * *

The scene was all too familiar. Black and white. Cold. Dull. She made her way down the hall to the holding cells. It had been about two weeks since she had brought Adam and the two young mutants to the Dominion headquarters. Finally they were satisfied that Chloe was still completely devoted to the Dominion. It was time to begin their mission. 

Chloe found herself in front of a less exuberant Adam Kane, who was sitting dejectedly in his holding cell. He glanced up at her with eyes full of an understanding not present at Genomex. "What? Not what you expected?"

"I thought I was being freed," he whispered, his voice depicted his sorrow.

"We will never be free." Adam watched as a single tear slid down Chloe's cheek before she stiffened and caught his eyes with hers, cold as steel. "We will be flying out to the site of the safehouse tomorrow. Taylor and Scott too."

He nodded.

"Your dream will still happen," her tone was almost sympathetic.

"I think you understand that I just can't believe that right now."

* * *

_3 months later _

"We're making good progress," Chloe suddenly appeared, as if out of thin air. Adam was used to the feral's stealth abilities by now.

Sanctuary, as Adam had penned, was nearly complete. Chloe, Adam, Taylor, and Scott had been aided in the construction by a slew of Dominion controlled mutants. With the construction of Sanctuary came the crumbling of Chloe's walls – a little. Adam knew the feral had a dark past that he would most likely never learn of, and he was okay with that.

"You think we're going to be okay?"

Adam had asked Chloe this question frequently over the past few months. She always dodged the question or rolled her eyes because it was a stupid question – but a question she wasn't willing to answer. But this time, when he saw the honesty and openness in her crystal blue eyes, he knew he would get his answer.

"I think that you will be fine Adam, as long as you don't get sucked in."

"And you?" He replied.

She shrugged. "I think it's too late for me. The Dominion is my life and always will be. It was my choice."

Adam was satisfied with this little insight into Chloe, and a usual, comfortable silence settled over the two.

Taylor shyly peered around the corner.

"Hey Tay," Chloe greeted, recognizing the elemental was asking for admittance.

Taylor disappeared quickly behind the wall before reappearing with Scott. He was holding a brightly lit cake.

"What's this?" Chloe questioned, an eyebrow raised.

"It's your birthday cake," Scott replied.

Chloe's expression conveyed her confusion and surprise.

"The mutant database is running finally and we were checking all of us and we noticed that you turned twenty-one today," Taylor explained as Scott held the cake out.

Chloe looked at the two affectionately and blew out the candles. "Thanks for the thought you two."

They ate their cake in silence and everyone drifted away from Chloe. And the feral, so old at only twenty-one, found her feet carrying her away, down a dusty path she didn't want to travel. They took her outside to breath in the fresh mountain are, to reminisce about another time only a few years ago.

And she ran. Her feet took her away.

She whipped past the tall woody pines under the pure blue sky. She ran and ran until she couldn't run anymore. She flung her body down on the dewy grass and could almost feel Darren's warmth next to her. And Angie standing to the side with her quiet presence. And Ashley giggling at Darren and Chloe's antics. And Michael rolling his eyes as a tiny smile betrayed him. She could almost feel them but they weren't there and they would never be again.

And then she remembered how to cry.

LOOK FOR PART 2 COMING SOON


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